Apparatus for use in preparing poultry for the market



Aug- 1.0 1943. v, T. ocoNNoR ET AL 2,326,162'

APPARATUS FOR USE IN PREPARING POULTRY FOR THE' MARKET Filed Oct. l2 1940 INVENTORS: nf' 'zafc' a" a r 552% f ofowf "Q ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 1o, 1943 f APPARATUS FOR USE IN PEEPARING PoULTnYroRTHE ivmnikn'ry l Vincent T.

Connor, Reveralilass.,` and Wineld C. Gardiner, Derry, N. H.

Appleman oetober 12, 1949, ssl-lai No. 360,942

4 claims. co1. 17 .11.1)

Our present invention relates to apparatus for use 'in preparing poultry for the mark-et. Y

The preparation of vpoultry for the market includes two operations with which, our invention is primarily concerned. These operations are the semi-scalding and the waxing steps. In the former, the birds are immersed .in'water heated .to a temperature high enough to loosen the feather holding muscles Without injury to the flesh so that the larger feathers may beeasily plucked. In the latter, 'the partially plucked birds are dipped into a v/aX preparation under asimilar temperature control and after the wax coating has solidified, its removalcarries with it remaining feathers, dirt, and the like. 1

These two operationsgare essential to market preparation of poultry and their cost and electiveness have a direct relationship to' the prolt of those engaged in the business. Apparatus of several -di'erent types has been provided for use in carrying out these operations, but these; inaccordance with our analysis of; `the problems, are high in yoperating costs andrelatively-lew in efficiency. i i

Among the factors contributing to the `inadeduacyr of vsuch apparatus, high heating costs may ce 'mentioned as the most serious, although relative safety, diiculty and cost of operation, original cost and the like, are allirnpclrtant.'

In accordance with our invention, we provided a water tank with Ya thermo-statically controlled heater in its `base'and a wax tank shaped to be lreplaced in thewax tank as a nal operation,

and` the thermostatic control reset to its highV position.V When the wax is again in a liquid state, the strainer with the feathers and the like may be removed, Vleavingl the Vwax in condition Vfor 11e-use. Y f j l Our invention has many novel features and advantages. Of these, Vthe fuel economy is of great importance asis the fact that either the sem-soalding operation or the Waxing opera-tion may be carried out with a singleheater, resulting in reduced equipment cost.v

`Inthe'accompanying drawing, we have shown and in the specification described typical apparatus `and methodical steps in accordance with our invention from which its novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawing: 1-

Flg. 1 is a vertical section through apparat-.us

in accordance with our invention showing the wax tank inserted. Y i

Fig. 2 shows the apparatus of Fig. 1 withthe waxitank lremoved and the water levels indicated 'all 'inserted into the water tank and to be supported Y thereby toY establish a surrounding water jacket.

The capacity oi the water ltank, when the wax tank is inserted, is relatively small and is in fact much less than that required `for theserni-scald- Y ing operation. We heat this water ,to a temperature slightly less than its boiling point so lthat the Wax preparation is melted relatively quickly. While both the water andthe wax are lar too het for use, the addition of a sufcientvolunie oi cooler water to `permit the birds to be immersed therein, reduces the temperature to or slightly below 'the desired semi-scalding temperature and the thermostat-tic control is reset to maintain fthe water at that temperature during the semiscalding operation.

When the birds have been semi-s'oalded and partially plucked, water is withdrawnV from the water tank, leaving sufficient for the complete jacketing of the wax tank when. it is replaced in the water tank. The temperature 'of 'the wax is maintained at a suitable temperature during the waxing operation, which temperature is generally A in the same range as the semi-,scalding tempera-` tures, but depending on the particular wax formula employed.

As the wax and feathers are stripped from the birds, they are placed-'in a strainer, which isA employed as a vent.

' priorto and when the apparatus is prepared for the semi-scalding operation, and l ig. 3 shows the apparatus of Fig. l with the wax strainer inserted in the wax tank.

In Fig. 1 we have shown an 'embodiment of apparatus in accordance with our invention in which a-eyiindricarsneu l is divided by a partition 2 .to establish a base 3 and a water tank t.

The rim of the shell l is formed with a bead 5.

Handles to facilitate the movement of the apparatus are indicated at 6. (See Fig. 2.)

The'heating means are located in the base 3 and, while-these may be of any typ-e, we have shown a gas burner unit l since the quick hot heat provided by that fuel affords maximum elhciency'andeconomyv The -fuel line 3 for the burner unit 1 includes a thermostatic control 9 by'which the-temperature of the water in the tank 4 may be accurately controlled.` The thern'ostaticY control includes adjustable knob lil exteriorly of Vthe b ase 3, permitting the heat to be controlled accurately within the range of 106 to 219 F. Thecontrol 9 includes a safety control', theheat responsive element of which is indicated at il, to shut 01T the gas if the flame isaccidentally extinguished. As theseY controls are 4of standardconstruction and their operation obvious, we have not described or shown them in detail. Y

The shell l carries an upstanding lling l2, theA open end of which `terminates slightly below the bead 5,while' a drain pipe I3 supported by the partition 2 and the shell l, perinitsthe tank 4 to be emptied. The lling pipe l2 may be VAt I4 we haveshown a slightly tapered wax tank, shaped to t within the tank 4, and tobe spaced inwardly'of the shell I and above the partition 2 to permit substantially the entire V'area ofthe tank I4 to be surroundedV by a Water jacket of denite volume when the apparatus is assembled as shown in Fig. l.. The upper edge of the tank i4 is formed as a bead AI5 to contact Aand be supported by the bead 5. Handles I6,

interioriy of +ne wax tank I4 and spaced .belowvr the bead I5, facilitate the handling oi the Ywax tank. A cover I'I, having a handle I8, includes a ange IS and is adapted to be ttedwithin'the mouth of the tank t or the wax tank I4.

We also provide a strainer 2B preferably shaped similarly to the Wax tank Ii. The strainerril has 'a frame consisting of the rim 2I and the sides 2v2A to reinforce the reticulated side and bottom walls. The rim 2i supports a lifting bar 23 to which a lifting chain 24 may be attachedas shown in Fig. 3. within the wax tank 'I and to be centeredv by the handles IS so that its sides are not in contact with the Walls Vof the tankil.

gat a temperature'slightlyrbelow 212F. Because thevolurne of water to be heated is relatively small and the water jacket completely surrounds the tank Effi, the wax is meltedrelatively rapidly.

The wax removed from the poultry Vis placed in the strainer 2), and when all of the birds have been treated, the strainer 20 is inserted into the wax tank I4. (See Fig. 3.) The .thermostatic controlrmay now be re-set Vto a higher point, say 210 F. and after the wax has re-melted, the

'istrainer Eil may be removed, leaving the strained v v wax inthe wax tank I4 in condition for re-use.

In accordance'with our invention, we are thus able to ensure eilciency and economy in the market preparation of poultry.

l What we therefore claim and desire to secure The strainer 2t is shaped to rit l. vby Letters Patent is:

.1.. Apparatus for use in preparing poultry for the market, said apparatus comprising a base, a water tank on said base having a water inlet and outlet, an adjustable thermostatically controlled heater in said base and a wak tank, said wax tank and said water tank being so shaped that said wax tank may be inserted in and supported by said water tank, the capacity of said water tank when said waxtank is Ysupported therein being substantially less than the minimum amount of water needed when poultry are to be immersed therein, whereby the Water may be brought to a relatively high temperature to melt s wax and its temperature reduced by the addition oi suicient water to permit the poultry to be immersedtherein for semi-scalding. 2. Apparatus for use in preparing poultry for d the market, said-apparatus comprising a base, a

While .the wax, when melted, is at a temperature f Vtoo high for use, we have found that the high temperatures are of advantage to the conditioning of the wax for use.

After'the wax-has completely melted, the wax tank Iii is removed and set aside.v The water now in the tank t isV at a temperature too :high for use and is of a volume insuicient to permit birds to be immersed therein. We next add to the definite volume of superheated water, indicated in Fig. 2 by the dotted line 25, cooler water until there is 'a sunlcient volume represented by the dotted line in Fig...6 for the semi-scalding operation. The` addition Aoi such a volume of water brings the water to or below the temperature range suitable for semi-scalding poultry, vdependingon the volume of cooler water added. The thermostat is then re-set to establish a temperature suitable for semi-scalding, for example, 130 F. and to maintain itaccurately at the selected temperature. The volume of water may be varied and, withfa little experience, an operatorbecomes skilled Yin adiusting the volume Vof Water to the number of birds requiring semiscalding treatment. The birds Yare then `irn-V u by the water in the tank 4 already at the desired temperature. If the waxis too hot, cold water may be added'to the wak.V The partially plucked birds .are then `dipped in the wax and, after the wax has solidified, the wax .isV removed, taln'ng with it the remaining'feathers, dirt, and the" like. n .i

water tank on said base having a water inlet and a water outlet, a heater in said base, an adjustablethermostatic control for said heater, and a wax tank, said wax tank being shaped to it within said water tank with the upper parts of said tanks in mutual Contact for the support of Vsaid wax tank so that its bottom is spaced above the bottom of said water tank and inwardly vof the sides thereof to present a water jacket surrounding said wax tank below said upper part, the capacity of the said water jacket being substantially less than the minimum amount of water necessary for the semi-scalding of poultry by immersion therein whereby the water may be brought to a relatively high temperature to melt Wax in said wax tank and its temperature reduced to a semi-scalding temperature by the addition oi sufcient water topermitY the poultry to be seiniV-scalded therein. Y

3. Apparatus for use in preparing poultry for the market, said apparatus comprising a base, a thermostatically controlled heater in said base, a water tank'on said base having a water inlet and a water outlet, a wax tank shaped to be inserted intoand supported by said water tank to within said wax tank.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the centering means comprises handles carried by 'the wax tank below its rim.

WINEIELD C. GARDINER. VINCENT T. OCONNOR. 

